Local MP Cheryl Gallant joined municipal politicians from across Eastern Ontario at a rally earlier this week to demand action on rising water levels. Gallant gave an Ottawa Valley view at the “Rally To Repeal Plan 2014” in Trenton on Wednesday. She talked about the experiences of Valley residents, who have faced catastrophic flooding in two of the last three years. The rally was a call for action from the International Joint Commission, which is in charge of controlling dam outflows in the Great Lakes. The protestors are demanding the IJC abandon Plan 2014, and the policies in it that they blame for the historic flooding in 2017 and this spring. They want it repealed by spring, when flooding is likely, with some predictions it could watch last May’s peak water levels. Meantime, the IJC announced today (Friday) that it plans to deviate from the plan until Lake Ontario peaks next year. Wednesday’s rally was organized by a group known as United Shoreline Ontario (USO). They will also have a rally on Parliament Hill Saturday at Noon. The protest will begin at the office of the International Joint Commission (234 Laurier Avenue West), and head to Parliament Hill.
Pictured: MP Cheryl Gallant with Rally Organizer Sara Delicate